Laustic - I like how you formatted your trip report - you did an excellent job.

I also took the same Oxford tour with Richard about 5 1/2 years ago. Does he still wear the red cap? I agree that the tour was great.

I also tried to eat at the Sun in Splendor pub but it was so full there were no seats left. I'll have to try again whenever I get back.

Happy 30th birthday - life begins at 30!

I've got a condensor dryer.
They're good for flats because you don't get a lot of steam as you do with the old fashioned kind.
You just empty a reservoir at the bottom every so often.
I use the for watering house plants.

Dear Laustic, thanks for the report. I especially enjoyed it as it mentioned things which I never did, even though I lived/worked in London for over ten years. You've given me some ideas for when I next work up the energy to visit my friends in Kent. THanks!

laustic:

LOL @ darwins armadillo. if i can interact with it, we'll go for sure!

are there any performers, of note, in mary poppins? just curious. i havent had a chance to google it yet. we'd kind of like to see christian slater in one flew over the cuckoos nest. i think hes still in it and that its still playing. i had heard about theatremonkey.com - will take a look for sure.

missprism:

do you know if they have dryer condensors in laundromats, or is it just in the home models? thx

xplors, the best way to bring purchases home is to take a flat duffle bag in the bottom of your luggage to carry items home in and then check your used laundry through in your regular suitcases. It saves a lot of hassle, and the empty bag won't take up much room going over.

Great report! The Sloppy Giuseppe is my favorite pizza at Pizza Express. There's another with rocket on top which is really good too.

I had the same impression of Harrod's you did the first couple times I went but after a lot of poking around on subsequent trips, it's really an amazing place if over the top, but that's part of the fun. Every year I find a new department or area I never saw before & actually found some items in their kitchenware department that were cheaper than the same items in Derby.

Sounds like this won't be your last trip there.

bookmarking- thanks for a great report

Being a native, I rarely use laundrettes, but I should think that they have the non-condenser kind.

The condenser type is specially useful in a flat because you don't need to drill a hole in the wall or hang a hose out of a window.

My old one actually released its steam through a vent in the wall, but my utility room still seemed to get damp.
As I said, the water (and you'd be surprised how much water you get) is great for watering plants.

Once I actually figured out the condenser dryer I thought it was a great idea for small spaces and aparment living. All you have to do is dump a resevoir of water and you're ready to go again. And, MissPrism, I was very surprised at how much water collects! I had never really thought about where all that water goes in the dyring process so it was also very educational for me! :) I would imagine that these would not be what you would encounter at a laundrette.

As for Mary Poppins, I had not heard of any of the actors, although according to the playbill they seem like very accomplished actors. Christian Slater was always being compared to Jack Nicholson so I guess it's fitting that he's taken on that role. I would be really curious to hear a review of that. I noticed that several American actors are acting in London theatres right now -- Juliette Lewis is the only one that pops into my head right now.

thx for more suggestions and info.

laustic:

i remember seeing the movie "heathers" - i think around 1990. christian slater was a relatively new actor, i think, and he reminded me so much of jack nicholson...starting with his voice! i hadnt heard anyone make the comparison at that point. i think he'd make a terrific mcmurtry (i think that is the characters name). if we see cuckoos nest, i'll include a review it in my report.

What a great report! Thanks so much for doing it. I'm going to be in London in October (can't wait) and it made me very excited to be there again.

Anyway, I was thinking about doing the Oxford & Cotwolds Explorer Day, so I was happy to hear that you liked it so much. I was wondering if you could tell me what time you got back to London from the tour. We're trying to figure out if we can do that day trip with London Walks and be back in time to get to the theatre that night.

Thanks.

Jane -- I'm afraid I don't remember exactly when we got back into the city, but if I had to guess I would say around 5ish. Funny enough, I do specifically remember the brochure saying something about getting back to London in time for theatre. Richard is very prompt and orderly, so I don't think you'd have to worry about being late. It is a pretty full day of walking so you might be a little tired. It really was a nice day though and I really enjoyed Richard. And someone asked if he still wears his red hat...he does :)

Jame (not Jane) sorry about that!

Thanks so much for getting back to me. That's helpful to know. I hate to miss a night at the theatre in London so we'll probably take a chance that Richard will get us back in time!

Haven't used one for a while, but I would guess that "lauderettes" in London would have separate washers and dryers. It is usually possible to leave your washing with an attendant for a "service wash", and pick it up later.

A really useful and interesting report.
Thankyou
Rosie ((a))

I'll be in London in September. Can you tell me how much it costs to view Kensington Palace/Diana dresses? How long did you stay at Kensington Palace?

Thanks,
Kimberly

I was there in April and I believe it was around £12 for the entire package. Be sure to get the audio guide, it contains a lot of great info.

You will not see the apartment Diana and Charles shared at Kensinton Palace, but I did enjoy the display of dresses and the story behind where she wore each dress. There's also a very nice exhibit that serves as a tribute to her.

Laustic- another thanks. A question about the Tower. How early did you go? Did you buy advance tickets? I see there are websites where you can buy advance tickets, did you notice whether that would be an advantage. This trip is my 18yo son's high school grad gift, do you think the Tower would be a winner for him? Thanks!

great report and very nice format.

I have the same type of dryer in my flat and since the water is demineralised it is perfect for use in your iron (my plants get full mineral water from the tap...).